


One Summer's Day

by tonnyerenthing



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Fluff and Angst, Growing Up, M/M, Studio Ghibli - Spirited Away AU, Supernatural Elements, may add more later
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-08-22
Updated: 2014-10-10
Packaged: 2018-02-14 05:50:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,499
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2180340
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tonnyerenthing/pseuds/tonnyerenthing
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>On their way to their new home, 13-year-old John Egbert, his father and elder sister stumble upon an abandoned theme park after taking a wrong turn. Intrigued, the trio explore the park-though unbeknown to them they have wandered into the realm of spirits who sleep by day and appear at night. After John's father and sister are turned into pigs by angry spirits, John must take the adventure of a lifetime; working for Miss Lalonde in her bathhouse with only his courage and new found friends to guide him and his family back to the human world.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. One Summer's Day and The Road to Somewhere

_John, good luck!! -Until we meet again._

"Joooohn. Jooooohn..."

I look up from the card and flowers lying in the backseat to my sister - Jane - calling my name.

"Yeah?" I'm tired. And kind of sad, leaving all my friends and hometown behind.

Jane's eyes sparkle in an anime sort of way, and she says, "John, we're almost there!"

A real scenic place zips past us as we drive by and I lay down on the seat again sighing. Out of the corner of my eye I can see Dad smile at Jane briefly, and glance at me in the rear-view mirror.

Jane tries to make conversation with Dad and I saying, "I knew our new house was out in the country... Hmm, it _looks_ like we'll have to go shopping in the last town we passed through."

Dad shrugs, and replies, "Well, the Bay Area was the only place I could find."

The car slows some and the scenery outside the car gets a little more urban. I can see Jane bolt upright and hear her shouting at me, "John, John! There's our schools! They have the high school and middle school right on top of one another!"

Dad chuckles and says, "It looks like a nice school. If your lunch periods meet up the two of you will have one another to talk to."

I sit up and stick my tongue out at the new school as we pass by, then lay back down and mutter, "My old school was better," and become startled as some flower petals fall onto my glasses. "Hey! Hey! _Daaaad_ , my flowers are dying!"

Jane looks back at me and says, "It's because you've been manhandling them the whole ride here, you know."

I scowl at her before beginning to pout. Dad looks at me in the rear-view mirror and says in the soothing voice he uses when Jane or I is upset about something, "When we get to the new house we'll put them in some water. They'll be fine."

"But, Dad, this is the first bouquet of flowers I've ever gotten!" I sigh and mutter bitterly, "It really sucks that they were a going-away present..."

Jane looks back and frowns at me murmuring, "What? You got a flower on your birthday last year."

"Well, that was just one. I wouldn't exactly call that a bouquet." I pause before finishing, "Besides, it was from some girl I barely knew!"

Jane laughs. In that weird laugh of hers, all _hee hee hoo hoo_. "That little girl sure had the biggest crush on you!"

I stare at the ceiling of the car for a moment and frown as something passes through the back of my mind. A memory that isn't quite whole. A piece of this weird dream I've been having about a little boy I think I used to know, he's always giving me this small smile and holding out flowers that were painted blue... I shake my head for a moment and roll onto my side towards the front of the car.

Glancing at the rear-view mirror I see Dad frown and mutter to himself, "Did I take a wrong turn somewhere? I could have sworn I was going the right way."

I can hear Jane mutter something along the lines of, "That's weird. . ." then say a bit too loudly, "Hey, that's it! The blue house up there on the corner? Do you think we can get there this way?"

I sit up and lean forward saying, "No, I thought it was a street over. . . Dad, I think we're lost."

* * *

 

Dad looks at Jane and I then smiles. "It'll be just a little longer, okay? And then we can get settled in our new house."

Jane and I glance at one another; and our situation overall does not look very good. Dad takes us down this barren, creepy, bumpy road and we pass by a bunch of broken stone thingies that look kind of like houses.

I turn to Dad and mumble, "Hey, Dad?"

"Yes, John?"

"What were those stone thingies that looked sort of like houses?"

Dad smiles at me and answers, "Ah, those are shrines. Some people think that spirits live inside them."

Jane's eyes do the anime sparkle thing again then turns to tell me that after we're settled and all moved in we just _have_ to go investigate them further. The road turns to bricks and our car starts to shake. Jane starts egging Dad on, telling him to go faster and we go over what feels like a speed bump making me smack my head against the roof of the car.

I hiss and both Dad and Jane tell me to sit down at the same time with varying levels of sympathy. The car shudders and I fall backwards onto the seat taking care not to squish my flowers. I grab the back of my head again and wince some murmuring, "Dad, are you sure you know the way? I mean. . . It's just-"

Dad cuts me off with a big grin saying, "Just leave it to me, son!"

Our car is barrelling down the road at alarming pace; until Jane yelps and Dad screeches to a halt throwing me off the seat and into Jane's in front me. I groan loudly, and look up to see that we almost crashed straight into a small statue of a man-like thing that's standing in front of a tunnel.

Dad looks puzzled and sucks on his pipe pensively before getting out of the car. Jane follows a few moments later and stands next to Dad with her hands on her hips; leaving me in the car by myself. I bite my lip before getting out of the car-turning to carefully place my bouquet on the seat and stuff the card in my pants pocket.

I run up to Jane and Dad, sliding my hand into Dad's and leaning into his side slightly.

"A tunnel!" Jane's grinning as she says the words and turns to Dad 'n' I before finishing, "Come on! Let's go check it out and see what's on the other side!!"

I can hear Dad suck on his pipe before agreeing, telling both Jane and I that from the looks of it the tunnel leads to an abandoned theme park; and that there could be something interesting on the other side. The three of us walk towards the tunnel, stopping a few inches away from its entrance. I gulp and lean into Dad more as it feels like the entrance is pulling us inside.

Jane tells us once more that we should check it out, and Dad agrees. He looks down at me and smiles softly; saying that he's right here and that the movers have a copy of the key to the new house.

I gulp again and as Dad starts to move towards the entrance whine, "L-let's go back! Please? This place is super creepy!! And-and it doesn't feel right!"

Jane turns to me and sticks her tongue out. "What are you? A scaredy-cat! C'mon Dad let's go!"

Dad smiles at me again and murmurs, "It's okay. I'm here, want to go in? Just a little ways and then we'll come back?"

I gulp again and follow Dad and Jane as they walk inside holding onto the side of Jane's t-shirt.

Something about this place really doesn't feel right.


	2. The Empty Restaurant and the Dragon Boy

I'm hesitant to follow Jane and Dad into the tunnel. My hand falls out of Dad's as he and Jane walk forward; and Dad turns to me and says, "Just wait in the car, we'll be back soon. Okay?"

"But _Daaaaad!_ " I pull on the hem of my shirt and bounce up and down on the balls of my feet. I stare at the man-like statue before yelling, "Wait for me!"

I run up to Jane and hold onto her arm tightly, pouting as the three of us begin walking into the tunnel. It's dark and from a little ways ahead of Jane and I, I can hear Dad's voice telling us to be careful and to watch our step. Jane tries to pull out of my grasp saying, "Ugh, John, don't cling to me like that! You're going to make me trip."

I apologize quietly and loosen the grip on her arm some, not wanting to let go completely. It doesn't take long before we walk out of the tunnel and into a large room. It has high stained-glass windows and benches all over the place with a little bird bath in the middle without any water inside.

I can hear a train in the distance, and Jane asks Dad if he can hear it too. Dad tells us that we should go check it out and leads the way forward out of the big room and onto a large grassy plain with little rocks in the shape of faces jutting out of the ground here and there. In front of us is a dirt path that looks like it leads to a bunch of buildings.

I ask Dad what they are and he replies, "I knew it! This is an abandoned theme park!" then explains to Jane and I that lots of them were planned and built in the early nineties when Jane was born and that shortly afterwards the economy went bad, and most of them failed and had to be shut down.

Jane and Dad start walking down the dirt path and I begin to panic.

"Hey! You said just a quick look!! Let's go back!" They ignore my cries and I shout after them once more, " _Heeeey!_ "

I look up at the building and it moans, looking like it's moving backwards away from me, and trying to use the wind to push me forward. I get scared and run up to Jane, asking her if she heard that and that the building was moaning.

Jane looks down at me and says simply, "It was probably just the wind." I can hear her take a deep breath and continue, "Oh, it's such a beautiful day! If only we'd brought our lunch, then we could've had a picnic!"

We come across a bunch of big river rocks, which Dad and Jane have no trouble stepping across but I have to slow down and carefully make my way across.

Dad pauses at a bunch of big stone steps and turns to Jane and I saying, "Look! They were going to put a river here. Wouldn't that be lovely?"

Jane agrees, and I do my best not to slip and fall into the trickle of water flowing in between the rocks. A delicious smell drifts down our way; which both Dad and Jane comment on. Jane saying that she's awfully hungry and Dad that it looks as though the park is still in business. The bad feeling hasn't gone away and if anything has gotten worse the further we go out into this abandoned park.

Jane turns to me and tells me to "hurry it up, John!" and I tell them both to wait just a minute for me but both continue walking up the steps. I finally make my way across the river and run up the steps after them.

* * *

 

The stone steps lead up into what looks like a little town, except all the buildings look like restaurants. We follow Dad up more steps and further into the little town and it's weird. I mean, all of the signs look like they're written in Japanese or something similar. Which doesn't make any sense. We're in America. Unless it's some sort of ethnic theme park?

I'm not sure.

Dad follows the smell and looks kind of like a dog, sniffing and all that. Which makes me want to giggle. Picturing a dog wearing Dad's hat and sucking on his pipe.

The steps stop at what feels like a main street of sorts; and Dad turns to Jane and I saying, "Over there!" leading us down the street and to a cross section, which he runs down and comes back.

"Hey! I found it!"

Jane turns to me and says that they're all restaurants and remarks how weird that is; while I notice that a lot of the stalls that the restaurants are in have lots of dirty dishes in them. Some of which are covered in. . . bones? We follow Dad down the cross section to where he's sat down at a stall that's filled with food.

Jane sits down with Dad, who calls out and asks if there's anyone there. After getting settled, Jane spins around on her stool and calls me over saying, "John come here! It looks delicious!"

I shake my head, and as hungry as I am something doesn't feel right about this.

Jane spins around to Dad and says, "It should be fine, Dad, we can just pay the bill when they get back, right?"

Dad agrees and says that's a splendid plan, then sits down and begins to help himself to the food like Jane has. Looking up and down the stall I can't recognize any of the food. Some of it looks like things I've seen in manga that I've read but everything else is really foreign.

Jane pulls down something that looks like chicken marinated in barbecue sauce and takes a bite, turning back to tell me that it's delicious and that I _have_ to try it.

I shake my head and say, "I don't want any. . . Come on let's get out of here!! We're gonna get in trouble!"

Dad stands up with two plates and begins to help himself to the food, telling me in the process, "It's okay, son, you've got Daddy, here. And I've got credits cards and cash."

Something still doesn't feel right, and I can't help but be reminded of pigs while watching them eat. I try to reason with them again yelling, "Come on you guys!! You can't. . ."

Neither listen or even reply to me and just keep eating. I sigh and walk away, deciding to explore the park by myself while they get themselves into trouble. I walk down the street and turn to find more steps. I go up them, silently wondering how things could have been different if we hadn't taken a wrong turn.

I spin in a circle and stop to find that I'm in front of a bridge and what I recognize from manga and anime as a bath house. The bath house is huge and I can see that there's a column of black smoke coming from what I think is a fire place. Or maybe a boiler?

"That's weird. . ." I mumble to no one in particular and walk towards it. Intrigued as to who might be in the bath house and what's under the bridge. I walk onto the bridge and discover that the bath house only gets more gargantuan the closer I get to it. A rumbling comes from under the bridge, and I run over to look over the side, finding the train we heard earlier.

I hurry to the other side of the bridge and step up onto the railing and watch it go by until I hear a gasp from my right side. I turn my head to see a boy who's vaguely familiar. He can't be much older than I am, and has ash blond hair, red eyes like I've only seen in manga, and a very fair complexion. All while wearing a funny outfit and sandals.

The boy's eyes widen and he says to me angrily, "You shouldn't be here. Leave right now! Hurry, before it gets dark!"

In the corner of my eye I can see the shadow from the railing of the bridge get longer and mumble, "What? Why?"

The boy turns around and gasps as the lights inside the bath house suddenly turn on, murmuring, "They're lighting the lamps. . ."

He turns back to me and says hurriedly, "You've got to get across the river, go! I can buy you time and distract them but only if you hurry!"

The boy pushes me and looks at me pleadingly as he does so. There's something so familiar in those red eyes that I can't quite put my finger on. I stumble off the bridge and run to find my Dad and sister, retracing my steps from before and muttering, "What's up with him. . ."

I'm not sure why, but I do hurry as the lights for the buildings in the town all turn on one after another; pausing half way down the steps leading to the bridge to rub my eyes as strange see through black things make their way up from the ground. I hurry down the steps and to the cross section, back to where Jane and Dad were. When I get there I tug on Dad's arm saying, "Jane, Dad, let's get out of here! There was this boy, and I have a really bad feelin-" I gasp as Dad turns to me and see that he has the face of the pig. I step back and gasp again as he squeals like a pig before turning back to eat more food but is met with a smack from a fly swatter.

Dad falls to the ground and I step back, screaming. I run back into the street and scream again as I find more black see through things coming up from the ground in every direction. I make my way to the main street again and call out, "Dad! Jaaaaane! Where are you!"

I look around but all there I can find is the black see through things. They're everywhere and it feels as though I can't escape. I start panicking and call out, "Jaaaney!!" before turning and running back down the street to the steps we came from, weaving my way through the black things and screaming when I almost run straight into one.

I hurry down the big steps and ignore the sound of trickling beside me, until I get to the river and step in to find that it's turned into an ocean.

"Water!?"

I clamber up onto the big steps again and turn to look at the ocean. In the distance I can see the place where we came from except, it's all lit up and looks more like a city. There's moving lights crossing the ocean and I hold back the urge to cry. After a moment I clutch at the sides of my head yelling, "I'm dreaming, I'm dreaming!" Pausing to look back across the water before finishing, "Come on! Wake up, John, wake up!"

I slowly sink down and curl up into a ball, rocking back and forth on the soles of my feet, and hiding my face in my hands keeping my eyes tightly shut.

"Wake up. . ."

I can feel my glasses digging into my face and push back the memory of when I got them, focusing on trying to wake up from this nightmare.

I repeat to myself over and over, "It's just a dream, it's just a dream. . . Wake up, go away, go away, disappear. . ."

Then look up and almost scream as I hold up my hands and find that I'm see through. I can clearly see a boat through my hands and stand up quickly, almost tripping over the next step and exclaiming, "I'm see through!" Viciously rubbing hands together before holding them up to find no change and holding my forearms up before my eyes and finding that they're see through too.

"It's just a dream. . . A bad dream!" I rub my hands along my upper arms and feel every hair on the back of my neck stand up when I hear a boat dock on the big steps. I watch in horror as the doors on the boat open and floating masks with shadows but no bodies walk out and off the boat. Cloaks magically appear like paint dripping down a canvas as they begin to climb the big steps and there has to be hundreds of them getting off the boat.

I step back and scream as I turn to find more black things coming up out of the water, and running up the steps and into grass slipping half way up but getting back up and keep making my way forward even though my hands and knees sting really badly.

* * *

 

I take refuge up against a building near the water, curling up into a ball again and trying to convince myself that it's just a dream. A very very bad dream. I can vaguely hear voices in front of me, and I'm not sure how much time has passed when I hear footsteps run up to me and strong arms wrap around my shoulders.

I gasp and look up into red eyes, feeling strangely relieved but still really scared. I try to pull away and the boy says, "Don't be afraid. I just want to help you."

I protest, mumbling, "No, no, no!"

The boy reaches into his pocket pulling out what looks like a cranberry. "Open your mouth, and eat this. You have to eat some food from this world or else you'll disappear."

I protest again, this time louder saying, "No!" and attempting to push him away. But my hands go right through him. I gasp as I look at the boy again and watch as my arm drifts straight through his head. The boy's eyes soften some as he looks at me, and his hands pass right through mine and he pushes the berry up against my mouth murmuring, "It's okay, this won't turn you into a pig. Chew and swallow and you'll be alright."

I reluctantly do as he tells me to, deliberately chewing slowly and swallowing. The boy pats my shoulder and says, "There you go, all better," he holds out his hand to me saying gently, "See?"

Slowly I reach out and touch his hand, which is warm under my fingertips. After a few seconds he takes my hand in both of his and stands up trying to pull me to a standing position.

I grab onto both his hands and pull down, saying, "Where's Janey and Dad! They didn't really turn into pigs did they?"

I hold back tears as I look up at him. He looks so sad while he murmurs, "They're okay. You can't see them now, but you will. I promise."

He smiles at me and I can't help but trust him. The boy turns to look up at the sky and then crouches down and pushes me up against the wall; shielding me with his body.

"Don't move!"

A giant bird circles overhead and the boy pulls me closer to him, his mouth set in a hard line. The bird circles a few times before leaving, and the boy looks behind us before standing up and saying, "That bird's looking for you. We've got to get out of here as soon as possible, understand?"

I nod, and try to stand up but, can't move my legs. I grunt and exclaim, "My legs, I can't stand up!" I try standing again to no avail, looking up at him and saying, "Help me! What do I do?" I can feel tears pricking my eyes again and desperately want to sob in fear and frustration.

The boy crouches down and tells me to take a deep breath; I close my eyes and obey. I can hear him muttering, "In the name of the power and time within me, unbind him!"

He pulls me to standing and pulls me forward, and we practically fly up steps, into alleyways, through doors that open by themselves, and through buildings. One full of rocks and building materials, the next full of food and raw fish, after that what feels like a cold storage place, and finally through a pig pen. I look at the pig pen as we run by, wondering if any of those pigs are Dad and Janey.

* * *

 

We finally arrive in front of the bath house, and it's busy. There are frogmen out front greeting customers, saying, "Welcome! Welcome back! Welcome!"

The boy stops and turns to me saying, "You have to hold your breath as we cross the bridge. Even the tiniest breath will break my spell and then everyone can see you. Whatever you do don't breathe as we cross the bridge."

I hold onto the boy's arm, taking comfort in his closeness and whisper, "I'm scared."

The boy leans into me and tells me it's okay, that I just need to relax and stay calm. That he's here and everything will be all right. As we pass by the frogmen greeting the customers, the boy says, "I'm back from my mission."

To which they reply, "Welcome back Master Dave."

I turn the boy's name over in my head a few times as we get closer. _Dave_. . .

The boy - Dave - turns to me and says, "Take a deep breath. . . That's it."

I do as he says and have to hold my hand over my face, pinching my nose to keep myself from trying to breathe. I can feel my lungs tightening the farther we get across the bridge and right as we're about to cross the stones marking the edge of the bridge a small frog in a robe hops up in front of us saying, "Master Dave! Where have you been?"

I gasp and take in a deep breath, startled by the frog. The frog jumps up again and mumbles, "What? A human!"

Dave sticks his hand out and traps the frog in a red bubble that reminds me of a clock face, saying, "Let's go!" and pulling me along and past a group of women in front of the main entrance to the bath house. He stops at a tiny door that you wouldn't be able to see without crouching down, opens the door, pushes me through it, and follows shortly after.

I groan and think to myself, _What on earth have I gotten myself into?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahh, this got done a lot earlier than I expected it to, and I didn't mean for it to be so horribly long. Anyways, I hope you enjoy and I'm hoping to be able to update more frequently after I move this weekend. Also again, comments are very much appreciated and I'd like some input on doing a DirkJake Howl's Moving Castle AU after this?   
> With Jake as Sophie, Dirk as Howl, Dave as Markl, and AR/Lil Hal as Calcifer maybe?  
> Input is greatly appreciated!


	3. Dirk the Boiler Geezer and the Sootballs

Dave pulls me past a set of sliding doors and behind some flower bushes that look like the blue hydrangea plants we had at our old house. There's frightened yelling coming from the bath house and people calling Dave's name. Dave turns to me and says, "They know you're here."

Which is sort of obvious I guess, but I apologize for taking a breath anyways. Dave turns to me and smiles for a moment saying, "No, you did good. Now, listen carefully to what I tell you to do," he pauses for a moment. Like he's choosing his next words carefully. "You can't stay here."

I begin to protest but he shushes me, continuing, "They'll find you, and then you'll never be able to save your dad and sister. I'll create a diversion and then you can escape."

I grab onto Dave's shirt and say, "No! Please don't leave me! I don't want to be alone!"

He takes my hands and says softly, "We don't have any choice, if you want to save them you'll have to do as I say."

I look down at the ground and mumble, "It really wasn't a dream. . . They did turn into pigs."

Dave takes one hand and rests it on my cheek, saying, "Now, when everything settles down you have to go out the back gate, all the way down the stairs until you reach the boiler room. There you'll meet Dirk, the boiler geezer who stokes the fires."

Dave's hand falls to his side and I murmur, "Dirk?"

He nods, and replies, "Yeah, when you meet him ask him for work. Even if he says no or tries to trick you into leaving keep asking for work. If you don't find a job, Miss Lalonde - the owner of the bath house - will turn you into a pig too. So do everything you can to get some work. It'll be hard work, but as soon as you have a job not even Miss Lalonde can hurt you."

The yelling in the background gets louder, and Dave looks back before turning to again murmuring, "Good luck, John, and don't forget - I'm your friend."

Dave moves to stand up and I grab his hands saying, "How did you know my name's John?"

Dave smiles down at me and says, "I've known you since you were very small. I have to go now," he sets my hands in my lap and kisses my forehead whispering, "Good luck, John. I'm here for you." And leaves. I press one hand against where he kissed me and wonder why my heart's beating so fast.

* * *

 

There are a lot more stairs than I had imagined. There's no railing, and one side hugs the side of the bath house while the other side leaves what has to be a hundred some foot drop to the ocean of water. A window opens above me making me jump and almost fall off the stairs, followed by a giant frog head that's smoking what looks like a cigarette.

I take a deep breath and gulp, sitting down on the stairs and slowly sliding my left foot down to the step below me followed by my right and then my body. I repeat the process two more times before I slip and slide down several steps, grunting as I finally stop.

I very carefully test the step below me and climb down to it. The next step breaks beneath my weight and sends me flying down the stairs screaming. I stand up at one point and start running, screaming until I run to the end of the staircase and straight into a concrete wall. I find myself on a small concrete landing and lean against the wall gasping for breath.

I hug the wall as I slowly walk down the concrete steps that lead to a small platform, jumping down the last three since they're not connected to the rest. When I get to the landing I'm standing in front of a rusty door with a small glass window above the door knob. I hesitate before moving forward and tugging on the door.

It takes several tries before I get it open. I walk in and pull it shut behind me, finding myself in a short dark corridor filled with different sized copper pipes and a bunch of tanks that look like water heaters. I walk down the corridor as quietly as I can and peek through the doorway that marks the corridor's end.

Inside, I see a large room, one side is floor to ceiling drawers while the other is a giant boiler in a shape I've never seen before. There's a spider-esque man sitting on top of a pillow that rests on what seems to be a large crate; grinding something in a strange methodical motion. I gasp as one of six arms reaches down and pulls some purply grass out of a jar at his side and adds it to his ground mixture.

The spider-esque man uses an arm on his right side to scratch his head and two on his left to pull a lever that looks like a really long cane and spin a large wheel several times; before using one on his right to pull the string that sits in front of his face and dump the ground mixture into something I can't see.

I slowly back up into the corridor and hug myself tightly. I almost lean up against one of the water heater things but jump as steam erupts from one beside me. I step back and lean against the doorway and sigh. There's a banging noise, like a mallet on stone and I can see the weird black furry things that were carrying pieces of coal to the boiler scurry back into holes that are like little doorways in the side of the far wall.

I walk out of the doorway and onto a small wooden platform and say quietly, "Uhm... Hello? Excuse me. . ."

The spider-esque man doesn't seem to be able to hear me, so I speak up saying, "Uh, hello? Are you Dirk? Dirk the Boiler Geezer?"

The man grunts and stops what he's doing to lean forward and look at me. I make a soft scared noise and say, "Dave told me to come to you and ask for work. . Would you give me a job please!"

Four strings fly down and clack together, making the man growl and say, "Four bath tokens at once!" He picks up a giant wooden mallet and bangs it on the wheel yelling, "Hey you little runts! Get back to work!" He turns to me and says, "Aye, I'm Dirk. Slave to Miss Lalonde and the boilers that heat the baths. Hurry up you little runts! Do you want to be turned back to soot you stupid sootballs!"

I take in a deep breath and yell, "Please, give me a job!"

Dirk the Boiler Geezer turns and growls at me before replying, "I don't need any help! This place is full of coal. Do you know what coal leaves?" I shake my head. "Soot! I cast a spell on the soot and it gives me all the workers I need."

I look back to the little doorway things and see the tiny black balls with skinny arms and legs slowly walk out, each carrying different sized lumps of coal. I find that I'm in their way and move to the side of Dirk's crate. I watch as they all come cascading back and forth from the doorway. One bumps into my foot and starts squeaking at me angrily and I apologize trying to move away, while more start bumping into me. They all squeak at me the same way the first did and I ask them to wait a second, hopping over them and moving to the back wall near the little doorways.

One of Dirk's arms grows longer and he motions for me to move, saying, "Out of the way." and pulling open the drawer I was leaning on. I watch, fascinated, as his arm grows longer and longer; pulling open drawers and grabbing handfuls of the drawer's contents. I quietly stare as he moves all six of his arms at once, using one to pull things out of jars and another to pull on two of the bath tokens. Whatever those are.

I sit down and draw my arms around my knees, gazing at the sootballs as they go by. One comes out more slowly than the rest, straining under the weight of its lump of coal before being squashed by it. It makes loud and frightened squeaking sounds, and I can't help but want to help it. I stand up and crouch down, grunting as I pick up and find out how heavy the lump is. After a few seconds the sootball reappears and flees back into the doorways.

I start to panic and say, "I. . . What do I do with this?"

I look to the sootballs around me who have all paused to watch pleadingly, all of whom continue walking to the boiler.

"Should I leave it here?"

Dirk turns to me and says in a gravelly voice, "Finish what you started human."

I grit my teeth and hold onto the lump harder, side stepping my way over to the boiler stopping when I get to the mouth of the boiler's fire. I watch as two sootballs in front of me throw their lumps of coal in when the mouth opens then go back for more coal. I grit my teeth even harder and force myself forward; even though the heat from the fire is stifling and almost makes me lose the will to live.

I hesitate, feeling the horribly intense heat of the boiler's fire and the sweat beading on my forehead. I'm scared. What if I fall in? What if I burn myself? What if I get turned into coal?

I push these thoughts into the back of my mind and wait for the mouth to open again. When it does, I throw the lump in with a yell and run back to safety behind a concrete wall that's attached to Dirk the Boiler Geezer's crate he sits on.

I'm vaguely aware that all the sootballs have stopped and are staring at me. I hear a thump and loud squeaking, looking down to see that slowly the sootballs are gathering around me and dropping their lumps of coal on top of themselves; squeaking in a way that sounds like _help me help me!_

Dirk bangs his mallet on the wheel again and yells, "Oy! You little imbeciles! Get back to work! Or do you want to be turned back to soot!"

Briefly, I wonder if Dirk is ever nice to the sootballs before he turns and points his mallet at me while saying, "And _you!_ You can't just steal someone else's job, look for work elsewhere!" And points the mallet at the door I came through.

The sootballs stand up and move their lumps up at down, squeaking at me angrily. The sootballs gather around and drop their lumps in front of me, as though they're trying to keep me from leaving. Which doesn't make sense, I mean, their squeaking sounds so angry.

"Hey! You little runts!! _Get_. _Back_. _To_. _Work!_ "

A door opens on Dirk's right and a deep voice says, "Geez, are you guys fighting again? It's chow time!"

There are footsteps that go up to Dirk's crate and the deep voice says, "Heya, handsome." Followed by a kissing sound, and "Where's your other bowl?"

There's a lot of clinking, and a tall man that looks like an older version of me, with green eyes, a pink and white version of what Dave was wearing but the pants are longer, and no shoes. The tall man has a weird basket thing with him and throws star shaped sugar candies down to the sootballs who have jumped out of the coal pile and in front of him.

After a moment the tall man looks over to me and gasps yelling, "A human! You're the one everyone's been looking for!"

There's some chewing sounds before Dirk says, "He's my grandson."

"Grandson?"

"Yes, he says he wants to work here. Will you take him to see Miss Lalonde? He’s a tough little thing, I think he can handle it."

The tall man frowns and says, "No way, I'm not risking my life."

I watch as one of Dirk's arms stretches over to the man and he says, "What if I give you this roasted newt?" Even from over here I can see the man's mouth water. "It's a good one!"

The tall man snatches it from Dirk saying, "Gimme that!"

Dirk turns to look at me then murmurs, "If you want a job, you need to make a deal with Miss Lalonde. Like, Jake and I have. She's the head honcho here."

I nod, and the man - Jake - says to me, "Come on little boy. You better follow me."

I jump out of the coal pile and run to Jake, pulling off my shoes as I step onto the laminate flooring.

Jake raises an eyebrow at me and says, "Geez, can't you manage a 'yes, sir' or a 'thank you'?"

"Yes sir!"

Jake rolls his eyes and mutters, "What a dope."

He walks away and I begin to follow, but Jake tells me, "You don't need your shoes _or_ your socks. Hurry up!"

"Yes sir!"

I run after Jake to the little door he came through, and after moment his head pops up in front of mine and he says, "Thank the Boiler Geezer, you idiot. He's really sticking his neck out for you, ya know."

I nod and turn around, I try standing up but hit my head with a yelp then say, "Thank you Mister Boiler Geezer!"

I look up at his to see him give me a thumbs up.

He drawls out, "Good luck."

* * *

 

I follow Jake out of a small bathroom, and down a hallway that leads to a big room with all the gears and weights for what seems like elevators? I pause to watch them move, gears turning in time with one another and the weights move up and down-though none of them reach the floor.

Jake continues to walk away from me and says, "We have to go all the way to the top floor. That's where Miss Lalonde lives."

From where I'm standing and looking up I can see how tall the bath house really is. I'm amazed, from the outside it looked big but on the inside it's even bigger somehow. Magic maybe?

From the distance I can hear Jake groan and say, "Get over here and don't run off like that!"

I run over to him and straight into a small elevator that doesn't have a back to it, just a strip of plywood. I stumble and grab onto the wood and the elevator begins to move faster than expected. Jake turns to me and says, "Wanna lose you nose?" before pulling me away from the back of the elevator and next to him by the back of my shirt.

I'm not sure how long we spend in the elevator but it comes to a stop in a dimly lit hallway that has gorgeous murals painted on it. I follow Jake down this hallway and through a series of corridors, until we get to another, nicer elevator. He pulls a lever and we go up, after a few moments of silence Jake says quietly, "Just hold on. We're halfway there."

I nod even though he can't see me, and I wonder again how big this bath house really is. The inside of the bath house makes what I saw on the outside just a couple of hours ago look tiny. Has it really only been a few hours? So much has happened. . . I'm even having trouble remembering what Janey and Dad's faces look like. . .

The elevator comes to a stop and I turn around to see. . . I don't even know what I'm seeing. Whatever this thing is has a bowl on top of its head. Jake jumps a little and says in a fake sounding happy-to-see-you-voice, "The radish spirit!" then in an apologetic tone, "Sorry, sir, but I'm afraid this elevator doesn't go any higher. You'll have to take another one."

I have to run to catch up with Jake as he walks out of the elevator and over to an arched bridge. There's a squeaking noise over by the elevator and I turn to see the radish spirit guy following us. I turn back and tell Jake this, to which he replies quietly, "Just don't look at him."

We walk all the way to a nicer elevator, that has a character on its doors that I don't understand. The radish guy comes to a stop directly in front of the elevator doors and several moments later the doors open and three weird looking spirits? step out followed by a frog guy wearing a white version of Jake's outfit saying, "Right this way, gentlemen. Your rooms are right this way."

He sniffs for a moment, turns back and then walks towards us making Jake push me closer to the wall and stand in front of me protectively.

"Jake?"

Jake sighs and pushes me into the car while saying, "Ugh, what is it now?"

"What's that smell? A human? You smell like a human!"

Jake shrugs and says, "Oh really?"

"I smell it! I smell it! It smells sort of good? Jake. Are you hiding something?"

I can see Jake reach into the front pocket of his apron and pull out the roasted newt from earlier, looking at the frog and saying in a tone that's almost condescending, "Is this what you're smelling?"

The radish spirit steps into the car in front of me, and peering from behind him I can see the frog man visibly perspire and say, "Roasted. . . Newt! Give it to me!"

Jake laughs and replies, "No way, frog. I'm saving every last bite for myself."

The frog begs and begs saying, "Please? Just a leg! Please! Just a little suck on the tail!"

Jake holds the newt above the frog's head and turns to me, "If you wanna go up, you have to pull the lever on your right."

The radish spirit growls out what I think is an okay, and I squeeze between him and the side of the car to pull the lever. Then, we go up.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well this came out a lot longer than I had expected (again) but I like how it came out so far. Next week's (hopefully) update John meets the infamous Miss Lalonde and gets a job! Who exactly is Dave and what does he do for Miss Lalonde? Can John survive his first day working at the bath house? And who is this mysterious mistress of Miss Lalonde in the rumors everyone keeps talking about?


	4. Miss Lalonde and a New Name

It takes a long time to get to the top floor, which I guess shows how big this bath house is. When the car makes its last stop, the floor we've arrived at has marble instead of laminate flooring and giant ornate doors in the distance. One even has one of those knocker things. I step out of the car then turn around to face the radish spirit who bows at me. I bow back, although I'm not sure why.

The marble feels cold against my bare feet, and something draws me over to the double doors on the far right. Which turn out to be the only doors with a knocker on them. The knocker is shaped like the face of a woman I don't recognize, and she looks older than both Jake and Dirk the Boiler Geezer. The handles on the set of doors look like they're made out of gold, although I'm not sure how to tell if the gold is real or not.

I try to pull on the right handle and the knocker besides it spins around and a woman's voice emanates from nowhere saying. _"Aren't you even going to knock? Why you're the most pathetic little boy I've ever seen!"_

The doors open in front of me, along with the all the doors behind it. In a sort of falling dominos way. I grab onto my shirt and bite my lip, wondering if I should turn back and beg Dirk the Boiler Geezer to let me help him.

_"Well? Come in."_ I rock on the balls of my feet and I'm not sure whether or not I really want to do this, I mean, Dad. . . and Janey. . .but I'm so scared.

Louder and more forcefully the voice says, _"I said, come in!"_ and I find myself being dragged by some sort of mysterious force down hallways, and through corridors, until I fly through one last door and am thrown to the ground.

* * *

 

I open my eyes while rubbing the growing lump on my forehead to find the most elegant woman I have ever seen.  

"Are you. . . Are you Miss Lalonde?"

The elegant woman looks up from her work and nods, "Yes that would be me. I am Miss Lalonde, owner of the bath house." she pauses, and then says, "I'm really quite impressed that you made it this far. You couldn't possibly have made the venture on your own. I wonder who helped you. . ."

I gulp and mumble, "I. . . Ah, excuse me? I was wondering if you could give me a job?"

Miss Lalonde chuckles, and uses her left hand to make a swiping motion. I'm a little confused, until my mouth zips itself shut and won't come apart when I pull on it.

She chuckles again and says, "That's enough of that. I would never consider such a stupid request. You're just a stinking, useless, weakling. And this is no place for humans. This here is a bath house, where the spirits come to replenish themselves. And you humans always make a mess of things. Like, your father and sister gobbling up all the food for the spirits like pigs."

Miss Lalonde pauses to take a short sip from a martini glass, and I take the time to notice how beautiful she is. Miss Lalonde is covered in dazzling purple amethyst jewels. I mean, even her head band is encrusted with them.

"They got what they deserved. And you should be punished too," she takes another sip from her glass and says, "I could turn you into a piglet, or perhaps, you would prefer a lump of coal?"

She chuckles again and murmurs, "I can see you shaking. I do say, I'm very impressed that you made it this far. Now, sweetie, tell me. Who helped you? We must give them a proper thank you."

Miss Lalonde makes the swiping motion again and my mouth unzips, finally letting me dump out, "Please, can't you give me a job!"

"Don't start that again!"

"Please! I just want to work!"

" _Don't. Say. That!_ " Everything on Miss Lalonde's desk falls to the floor as she leaps over the desk and rushes to me yelling, "Why should I hire you! Anyone can see that you're just a spoiled, lazy, crybaby, who has no manners! I have all the lazy bums I need! Or," Miss Lalonde steps behind me and runs one claw-like fingernail along my neck saying,"Should I give you the hardest job I've got, and work you to your very last breath?"

I gulp, and at the front of the room, but a little off to the side, there's a loud crash and what sounds like. . . a baby? crying. There's stomping that shakes the entire room and several seconds later a giant foot bursts through a green door by Miss Lalonde's desk; sending splinters flying across the room.

"Oh, dear! You woke up the baby!"

Miss Lalonde hurries over to the door and begins cooing, at what I have a suspicion is a gigantic baby, in a voice that makes me feel sick to my stomach.

"Oh, it's okay, Mommy's here, be a good boy and settle down." Miss Lalonde turns back to me and barks, "Why are you still here! I thought I told you to leave!"

I ball my hands into tight fists and yell back, "Give me a job, please!"

Miss Lalonde looks back from the doorway and to me hissing, "Quiet down, you're scaring the baby!" before turning back to face the doorway and cooing, "Hi, sweetie, that's it, that's it, don't be angry. Now that's a good boy."

I take a deep breath and yell, "I'm not leaving until you give me a job!!"

Miss Lalonde turns back to me and says, "Okay, okay! Just be quiet!"

I'm too focused on the paper and fountain pen and that are floating over to me to listen to the last things that Miss Lalonde is cooing at her baby. And, well, a little concerned that the entire paper is written in a different language. If the written language is character based, why is everyone here speaking English?

While I'm mulling that over, Miss Lalonde walks out and sighs before murmuring, "That's your contract. Sign your name away and I will put you to work. But, if you complain or say 'no' or 'I want to go home' you'll be joining your parents in the pig pen."

I look back down at the bottom of the paper and find that little x and line thing that Dad's always putting his signature on when we go to the hospital or dentist or wherever and they need his approval for exams and things. I point to it and mumble, "So. . . I sign here?"

Miss Lalonde nods and adds, "Sign it and stop stalling!"

I kneel down and sign in my best cursive: _Johnathan Egbert_ as soon as I make the last stroke on the t in my last name, the contract and pen pull away from me and go back to Miss Lalonde's desk.

Miss Lalonde mutters to herself about not being able to believe she took an oath to give a job to anyone who asks, and that she hates having to be so nice all the time.

"So, your name is Johnathan?"

"Yes ma'am."

"What a handsome name. Almost biblical." Miss Lalonde holds one hand over my name and I can see my last name and the 'athan' from my first name pull themselves off the paper and drift up into her fist. She closes her hand and says, "It belongs to me now. From now on you will be John. Nothing more nothing less. Do you understand? Answer me, John!"

"Yes, ma'am!"

From beside me I can hear footsteps and then Dave's voice. "You called for me?"

I turn to see Dave and almost burst into tears at the sight of a friend. One look from Dave keeps me from running into his arms and it takes all the strength I have left to keep the tears at bay.

"This boy signed a contract, set him up with a job."

Dave turns to me and asks, "What's your name?"

"My. . . name? Oh, it's Johna-I mean, John. Just John."

"Okay, John, follow me."

* * *

 

There's an awkward air between Dave and I during the elevator ride back down from Miss Lalonde's office. I want to say something but I'm not sure what, and mostly, I want to ask about that kiss. I glance over to him and mumble, "Dave, I. . ."

Dave looks me up and down for a moment, like he's checking to make sure I'm okay, before saying, "Don't talk to me. And address me as 'Master' Dave from now on."

I nod and wonder what happened. Dave was so nice to me earlier. . .

* * *

 

I feel sort of like an unwanted cut of meat at the grocer's standing in the middle of everyone from the different work groups of the bath house. Everyone around me keeps mumbling that they don't want me in their department because I'll 'stink up the place' before Dave cuts them off, saying sharply, "Three days of eating our food and his smell will go away. And, if he doesn't work hard, roast him! Boil him! Do as you please. Now, get back to work! Where is Jake? Jake!"

Jake's voice comes from the back of the room with a loud, "No way! You can't just dump him on me!"

Dave smiles slightly saying, "You did say that you wanted an assistant."

Jake sighs and shakes his head, beckoning me to follow him while saying, "I really do not get paid enough for this. Dave! You owe me one!"

Jake and I walk out into a dark hallway, and Jake keeps walking at a brisk pace before turning to me and exclaiming, "I can't believe you pulled it off! Since you’re so much of a dope I was worried. Now, if you need anything don't be afraid to ask me, okay?"

Jake looks down at me and his face softens after a moment, "Hey, what's wrong? Is everything alright?"

I shake my head and say quietly, "Jake. . . I don't feel so good, and I'm so tired."

Jake chuckles a little and turns around, crouching some and saying gently, "Here, I'll carry you. But just this once understand?"

Jake carries me from the hallway and all the way to a small room with a deck that Jake announces is our room. He steps forward and sets me down carefully, opening up a cupboard half way up and embedded into the wall.

"With a little food and some sleep you'll be fine. Oh, I never caught your name, what is it?"

I sit on the floor close to Jake and whisper, "John, my name's John."

"Alright John," Jake hands me a small blue apron and a pink folded cloth saying, "Here's your apron which you have to wash yourself, and your pants. Hmm. . . You're so small. . ."

Jake digs through a basket of clothes that are the same color as the pants he handed me, pulling out several shirts that are too big, and I can't help but tentatively ask, "Hey, Jake? There aren't. . . two Daves are there?"

Jake pauses to look at me and says, "Two Daves? I say! I can barely stand one. He's Miss Lalonde's henchman so be careful and don't trust anything he says, okay?"

I pull my knees to my chest and start to sob. I think Jake has finally found a shirt that'll fit me, because I can hear him say, "There we go!" then crouch down and murmur, "Hey. . . John? Are you all right?"

An unfamiliar voice pops up from the background saying, "Quiet down. . . Jake? What is it?"

Jake sighs and whispers, "It's the new boy. He isn't feeling so well."

* * *

 

I know I should be asleep. But here I am, laying on my futon, curled into a ball and sobbing while Jake and the other people we share a room with sleep. I think I hear the door open, and a few moments later there's Dave's voice, and his hand on my shoulder.

"Meet me on the bridge in five minutes. Oh, and bring your shoes. I can take you to see your father and sister."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahh, I'm sorry this is so late. College has had me swamped and I haven't had the time for outside projects. I hope the next chapter gets done in a more timely manner than this one but, until then, I'll see you later
> 
> also, grammatically the narrative may change should I attempt to practice what I'm learning in my English class


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